Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste
This is the church where Louis XIV married the Spanish Infanta Marie-Thérèse in 1660, one of the most politically charged weddings in European history. Step inside and you'll find one of the finest Basque interiors in France — three tiers of carved oak galleries rising like a theatre above the nave.
A Church That Changed History
The marriage sealed the Peace of the Pyrenees between France and Spain, and Saint-Jean-Baptiste was chosen for its prestige on the Basque coast. The door through which the royal couple exited was bricked up immediately after the ceremony — and remains sealed to this day.
Stand in the nave and look up: the gilded altarpiece blazes with Baroque detail, while the wooden galleries wrap around three walls, packed tight as a concert hall. This triple-gallery layout is the hallmark of Basque ecclesiastical architecture and you won't find it anywhere else in quite this form.
Visiting Practically
The church sits on the central Place Louis XIV, making it easy to combine with a stroll around the square and a coffee at one of the terrace cafés facing the port. It is an active parish, so check the board outside for mass times before you wander in.
Early morning light floods the nave from the east and turns the gilded altarpiece amber — arrive before 9 a.m. if you want the space almost to yourself and the best photography conditions.
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